Manufacture of locks.



E. P. BAIHD.

MANUFACTURE 0F LOCKS.

APPLICATION HLED Nov. 5. 1915.

Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

k "l i y,

'key with any UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD '.P. BAIRD,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MANUFACTURE OF LOCKS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

Application led November 5, 1915. Serial No. 59,819.

Illinois, have invented certain new and us'eful Improvements in theManufacture .of Locks, of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as locks andthe manufacture thereof, and particularly to that type of lock which maybe termed a plate tumbler lock. It is customary to vary the constructionof locks and keys so that any particular lock can be operated only byits individual key, or where desired, by a master key adapted to controla plurality of locks. The invention has among its objects the productionof a simple, convenient, eicient and satisfactory lock of the kinddescribed in a comparatively simple manner, which lock is constructed ofa minimum of parts, and more particularly among the objects is theinexpensive manufacture of a lock suitable for innumerable key changes,and which may be easily mastered, if so desired. The ease with which thelock may be constructed, each lock having a different key, or the samenumber of them for a master key, is one of the desirable features of theinvention.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction,arrangement, combination of parts and construction thereof herein shownand described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete lock;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the inner end of the spindle with itsplates inserted before cutting same olf;

Fig. 3 .is a side elevation of the spindle and plates with the key inposition;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a p0rtion of the spindles and plates,the key inserted with the projecting ends, with the plates cut off sothat the ends aline;

Fig. 5 is a similar'view with another key inserted;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the spindle with the key in place,the plates proyecting beyond, the spindle, cut off, with key shown inFig. 4 inserted,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 6, including the barrel intowhich the spindle is inserted and associated parts of the lock, a keysimilar to that shown in Fig. 5 inserted;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 8, 8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a view lsimilar to Fig. 8, the spindle rotated and the keywithdrawn;

Fig. 10 is a reduced sectional view taken substantially on line 10, 10of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 11 is a view of one of the plates.

Referring to the drawings, in which one form of the lock is shown, 1represents a lock or latch bolt operatively connected with a spindle 2,so that when the spindle is rotated, the bolt 1 will be thrown in or outof locking position, as the case may be. `Two forms of key are shown,key 3 being in place in Figs. l, 3, 4v and' 6, the other key 13 in Figs.5 and Y7. A barrel 4 is provided to receive the spindle 2, and iscarried by a casing part 5, in which the bolt 1 is arranged. The spindleis also provided with a keyway 6 at the front and rear thereof, thefront keyway being more particularly described hereafter.

The spindle 2 is also preferably slotted for a portion of its length asindicated at 7 and of a size to receive the tumblers 7, which are eachformed with a' keyway 8 therethrough, as most clearly shown in Fig. 11.In constructing the lock it may be mentioned that with this particulartype of lock OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO '.ll'rIllli KING- LOCKCOMPANY. I

-keys, this being the most simple and economical way of constructing thelock. The key 3 is provided with a shank 10 and the edges 11 preferablyarranged with a series of undulations, which on the illustrative keysare shown parallel. The plates 7, as formed are of greater length thanthe diameter of the barrel or spindle 2, and are inserted in placesubstantially as shown in Fig. 3. The shank 10 of the key 3 is theninserted in the keyway 6, causing the plates to take positions, forexample, substantially as shown in Fig. 3 referred to. The ends of theplates 7 are then suitably cut oif, either by turning, or in any otherpreferred Way, so that they are alined at their ends and substantiallyconform to the contour of the barrel 2, and entirely confined within thespindle, as shown in Fig. 4. The spindle is then inserted in the barrel4 and the same operatively connected with the bolt 1. The barrel 4 isprovided with a slot or' groove 16, preferably on opposite sidesthereof, as most clearly shown in Figs. 8 to 9, so that when the key isin place the spindle may be rotated in the barrel, but when the spindleis turned so as to aline the plates with the slot 16 and the keywithdrawn the spindle will be locked against rotation by the plates. Asis obvious, cutting off the plates to lit the key determines therelative positions of the apertures 8 in the plates, so that the plateswill only be alined when the same, or an identical key is inserted. Whenonly a primary key is desired the lock is complete as described.

Where it is desired to have the lock with any desired other lockscontrolled by a master key, a master key is provided. I have shown, forexample, a master key 13, having a shank 14 with the edges 15 differingin contour from the edges of the shank 10 of key 3. However, with a keyof this design the plates are not alined at both ends, as shown in Fig.5, or perhaps at either end, this depending on the contour of the masterkey. The plates are then cut 0E again so as to aline at their ends wherethey would have otherwise projected beyond the spindle. If now thespindle is inserted in the lock barrel 4, as shown in Fig. 7, and thekey is inserted, the plates will be moved substantially to the positionshown in Fig. 6, but the vsame not projecting beyond the spindle, thespindle may be turned in the barrel 4. Likewise, wher. the key 13 isinserted, as shown in Fig. 7 the plates are not projected beyond thespindle. This method or process of constructing the lock may be repeatedas to other keys, so that a lock might have a master key. In thiswayeach individual lock would have its in-V dividual key, and a portionor all of the locks could be actuated by a master key, or a portion ofthe locks could have one master key and a portion another, and all havea key that would be a common master key, and actuate any, and so theoperations could be continued. It will be noted that in a constructionof this kind the lock in itself is not varied in its essential detailsin mastering, but merely the lock constructed in a lsimple manner,to-wit, again cutting olf the plates the same is mastered without addingan additional element except a master key.

I have also shown a built up keyway constructed of plates 12 in Figs. 6and 7. As most clearly shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 10, the spindle 2 issecured to a plate 18 formed to engage the shoulder 19 of the innerbarrel and provided with an extension or lug 20 adapted to coperate andwork in a slot 21 with the bolt 1. 'Ihe plate 18 may be very when theother key for positively throwing the plates out of alinement when thekey is withdrawn after.

the barrel has been turned into the position shown in Fig. 9. It happensthat the keys shown in the gures with the upper ends of the plates shownin Fig. 6 are alined when one key is inserted, and the bottom ends isinserted; that is, as the devices are shown in the drawings, but it is,of course, obvious that this depends entirely on the contour of the keysand that either of the keys shown might be the master and the other theprimary, and that the I have shown a spring operation might be performedwith either key being used rst.

The advantages of the construction have been previously pointed out,to-wit the sim plicity and low cost of manufacture, together with theextreme sensitiveness of the lock, as one plate out of proper positionwould prevent the lock from being actuated; and the many otheradvantages will appear to those skilled in the art. I am aware thatvarious modifications and changes in the method of manufacture may beadapted from the disclosures herein given.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modilications may be made in the same within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention;hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exactconstruction, arrangement or combination of parts herein shown anddescribed, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new by Letters Patent is:-

l. The herein described manufacture of locks, consisting in associatinga plurality of tumblers and inserting a key in the tumblers, thencutting olf the ends of the tumblers so that they aline at the ends,then withdrawing the key and inserting a different key in the tumblers,and then again cutting off the ends of the tumblers.

2. The manufacture of plate tumbler master locks of the kind described,operable by a common key, consisting in inserting a suitable master keyin the locks and cutting ol" the tumblers at lthe ends, whereby the samewill clear a coperating engaging part when the key7 is in the lock.

3. The herein 'described manufacture of locks, consisting in associatinga plurality of suitably formed plate tumblers in a slotted spindle, saidtumblers being of a length to project beyond the spindle, then insertinga key to adjust the tumblers and cutting olf and desire to secure.

the tumblers flush with the spindle, whereby when the spindle isinserted in a suitable barrel arranged for engagement with saidtumblers, the tumblers will be moved out of or in operative engagementwith the barel upon the insertion or withdrawal of the 4. The hereindescribed manufacture of locks, consisting in associating a plurality ofplate tumblers and arranging them with a suitable key, then cutting awayportions whereby when the same are inserted within a suitable spindlethe same will be entirely contained within the eonines thereof, thenagain arranging them and cutting away portions whereby when a dissimilarkey is einployed to rearrange the tuinhlers they will also be entirelycontained within the confines of the spindle.

En testimony whereof, l have hereunto signed my name in the presence o'two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD P. BAKED.

Witnesses:

ROY HILL,

1 Coe-ea

